Lynne's Lens
Ray, Stranger #24
We met Ray as we were wandering through the small hamlet of Wapanucka, OK. When I was a kid, I used to visit family here and play on the even-then quiet streets, explore the old, abandoned high school with my dad, and enjoy great feasts prepared by all of the relatives. Unfortunately, these relatives are either dead or have moved away, so I haven't been back to Wapanucka in about 12 years. It was sad to see that all of the downtown is abandoned now, the old high school that my dad and I spent hours exploring has been torn down, and the only sign of bustling life seems to be the corner convenience store/restaurant/gas station at the intersection of two rural highways.
This is where we met Ray. He was driving around town in his jadite green 30's Ford truck and stopped at the convenience store at the same time we did. As droplets of rain began to fall, we started talking about his beautifully restored truck (photos of that tomorrow), and I asked him if he knew any of my family who grew up here. He immediately recognized my grandfather's name and said that they played together often as kids. My grandfather was the one who broke up fights and kept the order among their gaggle of unruly boys, he said, and I believe it (my grandfather later became a teacher and served a very long term as chief of the Chickasaw Nation -- really!).
Ray then told us about the girlfriend he had from the first day of elementary school all the way through high school graduation. They didn't marry because she moved away after graduation, but they often meet up at high school reunions (their 60th was a few years ago!) and share memories of life in their beloved, but now quietly dying small town. While she moved away, Ray remained in the Wapanucka area, married, had kids, and has enjoyed a great life, he says with a wide grin on his face.
What more can you ask for in life than that?
And, if you want to read a little about my grandfather, go here:
www.chickasaw.net/hof/inductees/gov-overton-james.htm
This is photo #24 in my 100 Strangers Project. To learn more about it, go here: www.flickr.com/groups/100strangers/
Ray, Stranger #24
We met Ray as we were wandering through the small hamlet of Wapanucka, OK. When I was a kid, I used to visit family here and play on the even-then quiet streets, explore the old, abandoned high school with my dad, and enjoy great feasts prepared by all of the relatives. Unfortunately, these relatives are either dead or have moved away, so I haven't been back to Wapanucka in about 12 years. It was sad to see that all of the downtown is abandoned now, the old high school that my dad and I spent hours exploring has been torn down, and the only sign of bustling life seems to be the corner convenience store/restaurant/gas station at the intersection of two rural highways.
This is where we met Ray. He was driving around town in his jadite green 30's Ford truck and stopped at the convenience store at the same time we did. As droplets of rain began to fall, we started talking about his beautifully restored truck (photos of that tomorrow), and I asked him if he knew any of my family who grew up here. He immediately recognized my grandfather's name and said that they played together often as kids. My grandfather was the one who broke up fights and kept the order among their gaggle of unruly boys, he said, and I believe it (my grandfather later became a teacher and served a very long term as chief of the Chickasaw Nation -- really!).
Ray then told us about the girlfriend he had from the first day of elementary school all the way through high school graduation. They didn't marry because she moved away after graduation, but they often meet up at high school reunions (their 60th was a few years ago!) and share memories of life in their beloved, but now quietly dying small town. While she moved away, Ray remained in the Wapanucka area, married, had kids, and has enjoyed a great life, he says with a wide grin on his face.
What more can you ask for in life than that?
And, if you want to read a little about my grandfather, go here:
www.chickasaw.net/hof/inductees/gov-overton-james.htm
This is photo #24 in my 100 Strangers Project. To learn more about it, go here: www.flickr.com/groups/100strangers/